Day 4 - I am thankful for my church

I started to write about music today, but instead things have been bringing my thoughts back more specifically to my church.  Matt and I are in the Cathedral Choir at St. Paul's.  Have been since July of 1995.  Matt sings Baritone/Bass, and I sing first Soprano.  That's a lot of years of liturgy and song.  A lot of years with most of the same people week in and week out.  They are like family, and indeed, we spend all our major holidays with them! 
The choir is a wonderful group of people, but the whole church family is that way at St. Paul's. 

I was reminded of this again today when the Friends of the Library representative was asking the name of the man playing Santa at our Gala this year.  It is a gentleman who has been a member of St. Paul's FAR longer than we have.  He grew up in the parish.  He will make an excellent Santa, as he is kind, and usually of cheerful mien, and he is, well, round.  I called the church office to confirm the correct spelling of this gentleman's name so the Friends could get a little token of appreciation for him.  (That was our Friends lady's mission at the library today.) 
That our church, even though the parish is 10 miles away in Oklahoma City, could touch so many lives right here in Moore, is very telling.  Not only is the love in our church abundant, but the size of this metropolitan area is largely an illusion.  There are ties of friendship and kinship all over this area. 
I have written essays about St. Paul's in the aftermath of the Murrah Building Bombing.  Those can be found on my Face Book notes, if you are on my friends list.  It is still very true that love is in the very buildings there.  So many years of liturgy, song, and prayer.  Caring for one another and worshiping together, and praying for one another year after year, we and our predecessors have sanctified that place. 
Tonight we go to choir rehearsal, once more with our choir family, preparing to enrich worship for our larger church family.  Some weeks, rehearsal is difficult, because I am tired, and my voice isn't at its best, but usually the music Scott chooses makes the cares of the day go away.  The texts and settings we sing are beautiful and challenging, both musically and spiritually.  What seemed like a chore often becomes a very uplifting experience.
My Advent prayer for you is that you have a spiritual home as loving and as satisfying for you as St. Paul's is for Matt and myself.  (If you have a chance, come visit.  Corner of 7th and Robinson, downtown OKC.  Sunday services are at 9 and 11.  See our website www.stpaulsokc.org.)